Many professional athletes, like Crew SC Homegrown Player Matt Lampson, lend their names to charity foundations and events. His LampStrong Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit was founded in 2014 with the defined mission “to provide difference-making financial, emotional and motivational support to cancer patients and families in all stages of cancer treatment and recovery and to fund proven cancer researchers.” Matt has a very good reason to want to support cancer patients. In 2007, he was one……
A Columbus native, Matt graduated from St. Charles Preparatory School in 2007 as one of the country’s top high school prospects, but instead of fighting for playing time that fall as a freshman on the soccer field at Northern Illinois University, he began the fight for his life against Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma right here at home at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
After a brutal regimen of chemotherapy and radiation, and a whole lot of determination, Lampson was finally declared cancer free. He worked his way back into playing shape and transferred to Ohio State to play three very successful seasons for the Buckeyes, even being named a Big Ten first team starter in 2010. In December of 2011, he signed as a Homegrown player with Columbus Crew SC.
Under the umbrella of his charity foundation and their partners, Matt honors LampStrong Heroes after each and every Crew SC match, home and away. The Heroes are young survivors of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – the same blood cancer that Matt fought and beat in 2007. After taking in the match, the Heroes and their families are brought down to the pitch to meet with Lampson, receive a Crew SC goodie bag and have the opportunity for photos and autographs. “When the kids and their families come on the field after the match, it means so much to the parents. I am extraordinarily passionate to show what current and former cancer patients can accomplish as long as they take that same drive and desire in the fight for their life and implement it in their everyday lives,” Matt said.
The Foundation will also host the inaugural ‘Kick Cancer Cup’ fundraising event at MAPFRE Stadium on Sunday, August 23. Local celebrities, former OSU athletes and former Crew SC players will join current Crew SC players participating in the event. Sports memorabilia will be featured in a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle will also be held. For more information, please visit the Lampstrong Foundation website to learn more.